It seems that Summer Piano just began, so I can hardly believe that 5 weeks have passed already! Last weekend marked the end of the Praise Piano Camp and Blast Off Piano Camp #3.

Nearly all of the students were beginners, and it was wonderful to hear their progress after just 5 lessons. Great job, girls. Look forward to seeing you all in the Fall.

Last week, 9 students had a “piano lesson test drive” at the Blast Off Piano Camp. They learned some easy music, some difficult music, played music theory games, used iPad piano apps and had lots of fun too.

​After just 5 days of piano classes, the week ended in a short recital as the students performed the pieces they learned for their family and friends.

Great job guys and gals! Looking forward to seeing you all again in the Fall.

Last month, one of our star students headlined a fund raising concert to raise money for a missions trip. He put together his program, practiced hard and enlisted the help of his friends and sister. I was very proud to be a part of this event and was delighted to see how he used both his cello and piano skills for the benefit of the people of Belize.

Way to go, Awie! You rock!

This week, 7 students saw just how much progress practice makes. In just 4 days, they covered as much music as they usually cover in one month! They practiced their pieces, worked on rhythms, theory, note recognition and played music card games.

We broke up practice time with coloring sheets and watching the movie “Music of the Heart” - the true story of how underprivileged children ended up performing at Carnegie Hall due to their commitment to practice and the dedication of their teacher.

​Some of the students also brought their stringed instruments to practice for their recital this weekend.

Each year in May, the Anne Arundel Music Teachers Association hosts a Solo Festival. Students from across the county perform for audiences and judges. The written feedback from the judges is so helpful for students - it highlights what they did well, and also the areas they need to work on.

Last week, 2 Etudes students, Michelle and Leigh-Asher, took part in the annual Solo Festival at Anne Arundel Community College, and both received glowing remarks for their excellent performances. I am super excited to see how they do at their Royal Conservatory exams later this month!

The Pink Panthers learned 150 pieces of music and won the Team Quest 150 challenge. Hear some of the pieces that took them to victory.